Best place to order Phantom 3 and why ?

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Hello !!!
I am 2 yr watching phantom progress, NOW that Phantom 3 is announced etc, My question is
Where to order , not for price But service etc I want P3 Professional model and Xtra battery and maybe a case

On an other note I want to get an Ipad mini 2 or 3 do I have to activate the cellular feature PH # to get full functionality ?

Thanks is advance everybody
cok9
aka Dave
 
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I ordered from US Hobby. They are one of three locations listed on DJI's site for "Where to buy" and "Product Service". I had a few questions and shot US Hobby an email. They responded super quick. If I ever need to get something fixed on the P3, the turn around time will be a lot faster than dealing with DJI directly.

http://www.dji.com/support
 
cok9, below are some tips that'll help you with your buying decision.

Should you buy directly from DJI?

When you buy directly from DJI, you won't pay tax and shipping is free. If you're in the US, DJI ships many Phantoms directly from California. Phantoms that are shipped from China still arrive fairly quickly too. I've received many shipments that came from China in as little as 4 business days after ordering.

When shopping in DJI's store, you can see the estimated date when your Phantom will be shipped. Those dates are usually pretty accurate during times when DJI is not having big sales. If you're thinking of buying from DJI, head over to the DJI Store to check out the estimated ship dates.


Who else can you buy from?

There are many companies reselling DJI products. If you choose to buy from a company other than DJI, make sure the seller is reputable. If you have any trouble with the delivery of your Phantom, you want to make sure it's easy to return it. Here are a few good places to purchase a Phantom:
  • Amazon (make sure it's an Amazon Prime deal or shipped by Amazon)
  • Apple or Best Buy (you can pick it up in person, but you'll pay tax)
  • An authorized DJI dealer (many are selling on Amazon)
Note: If you plan on purchasing from Amazon, you can find a list of the best deals that are shipped by Amazon here:

Buy A DJI Phantom (Deals Updated Daily)


Why buy from Amazon?

Here's why many people are buying Phantoms on Amazon:
  • Get free shipping and pay no tax. Most sellers offer free shipping and do not charge tax (unless you live in the same state).

  • Amazon has a 30-day no hassle return policy. If you buy a Phantom from Amazon and Amazon ships it (they ship all Phantoms marked as "Fulfilled by Amazon" or "Prime"), you'll have 30-days to return your Phantom if it does not arrive as expected, it does not power up, etc. And, it's a no hassle return policy. Just ship everything back to Amazon via their paid shipping label, and they will refund your full purchase.

  • Amazon ships fast. If you buy a Phantom via Amazon Prime, you can get it delivered in as little as 2 business days. Amazon delivers packages on Sunday too (via USPS).
As noted above, make sure the item shows "Fulfilled by Amazon" or "Prime" -- like this:

FullfilledByAmazon.png

Who should you NOT buy a Phantom from?

Be careful when buying from unknown sellers on eBay, Craiglist, or unfamiliar websites that are listing deals that sound too good to be true. Amazon usually has the best prices available, so double the prices on Amazon so you can get an idea of the current price for Phantoms.


Phantom 3 Cases

It's a great idea to buy a hard case to store your Phantom. It'll be protected and easily transportable when you're ready to head out to your favorite flying site. If you're looking for a high quality case that has plenty of room for accessories, then check out the Go Professional hard case (my favorite) and the Microraptor Pro hard case. To see what else is available, you can find a complete list of commonly used Phantom cases here.
 
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On an other note I want to get an Ipad mini 2 or 3 do I have to activate the cellular feature PH # to get full functionality ?
A cell plan is not required. However, you will need to connect your iPad to the Internet somewhere to cache the maps before you fly in new locations.
 
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Hello !!!
I am 2 yr watching phantom progress, NOW that Phantom 3 is announced etc, My question is
Where to order , not for price But service etc I want P3 Professional model and Xtra battery and maybe a case

On an other note I want to get an Ipad mini 2 or 3 do I have to activate the cellular feature PH # to get full functionality ?

Thanks is advance everybody
cok9
aka Dave


Dave I would personnaly check out advexure.com Travis keeps us all up to date on the forums here. You don't see many dealers that stay in touch with our interests. You can ask him anything just about anytime...customer service right there.

Advexure.com give him a chat on his biz site.

Tim
 
If you buy from DJI and there is a need to return it you can send it to the authorized repair center nearest you. Also my bad luck is Amazon has to collect tax in CA, that's $72 additional, almost the extra battery. I am lucky in that I have a service center very close to me, and I have never had issues with getting emails back from DJI, yet, and I have been told by DJI that my P3 will either be shipped by a US distribution center, or by 3 day DHL express...... we shall see.
 
Also my bad luck is Amazon has to collect tax in CA, that's $72 additional
That's odd. There are a few dealers on Amazon selling Phantom 3's right now. And, I know they are not all in CA. So, some should be tax free for you.
 
That's odd. There are a few dealers on Amazon selling Phantom 3's right now. And, I know they are not all in CA. So, some should be tax free for you.
Anything I purchase via Amazon I have to pay CA sales tax because Amazon has distribution centers here. Now if I purchase direct from their website or via eBay then no sales tax. This started the 1st of the year.
 
F6Rider, same for me since I'm in PA. No Phantom 3's are currently being shipped by Amazon right now, so it's a good time to take advantage of the free tax.
 
OK,OK, just ordered a iPad Mini 2 Wifi only, I can connect to my iPhone 6+ hot spot for maps when needed but I will pre-load the maps for my 3 best flying spots. As I have an all Apple infrastructure at home this will fit right in, I was using my spouse's kindle for some stuff but mostly use the iPhone. I have a Nexus 7 2013 V2 for my P2V but it won't work for the P3, so I can sell that and use the ipad for both, get back some of the iPad's cost.
 
A cell plan is not required. However, you will need to connect your iPad to the Internet somewhere to cache the maps before you fly in new locations.
Msinger, is there a way to cache maps in the DJI Pilot app at home and without the drone connected? I've not been able to find this process documented anywhere. Thanks.
 
Brett_Meyer, I won't know for sure until I get my Phantom 3. But, it looks like it's possible since the map is viewable without being connected to a Phantom.
 
Extra Batteries

At this point in time, you'll receive your Phantom faster if you purchase it without the extra battery. Batteries are not available for sale yet -- so, your shipping will be delayed if you buy a package with an extra battery.

From what I have read, this is incorrect. I've read that several (if not all) dealers will ship the P3 once it arrives and then ship an extra battery once they arrive.
 
tcope, it is correct. But, what you're saying is correct too.

Per DJI's website, orders without the extra battery "will be shipped based on the order in which they were paid, starting in late April." But, orders with the extra battery "will be shipped based on the order in which they were paid, starting in mid May".

Some dealers are basically treating the extra battery as a separate pre-order.
 
Just a heads up guys, those who are filling for a 333 exemption will need to pay sales tax.. For those who want to bail from paying their home state that percentage it will come back and cause you a delay in getting your exemption.. It's the same as registering your car, truck, bike or boat..

Hello !!!
I am 2 yr watching phantom progress, NOW that Phantom 3 is announced etc, My question is
Where to order , not for price But service etc I want P3 Professional model and Xtra battery and maybe a case

On an other note I want to get an Ipad mini 2 or 3 do I have to activate the cellular feature PH # to get full functionality ?

Thanks is advance everybody
cok9
aka Dave

Back to Dave's original question, most dealers won't even answer the phone.. Make sure the dealer of choice answers emails, phone calls and so on.. Phantoms are man made and some WILL have issues, warranty/replacement will happen to P3 units.. Less of a headache if your dealer will own up to the issue and replacement when needed..
 
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Since both UAV-Outlets and I are in Florida, guess I'm stuck with the sales tax! Advantage is when they ship to me I might get my drone next day! Anyway, I don't mind the sales tax but at least I get it as a business deduction next year...
 
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I would agree what has been said about going with a reputable DJI Dealer and doing your research.

I see there are several US dealers on here, but any UK customers are welcome to check us out for your Phantom 3.

What shipping details are you seeing from DJI and subsequent delivery date to your customers?
 
Advexure.com mite still have some 1st shipments still available. Someone on rcgroups just landed a spot. They are in LA California. FYI for those still looking.
 
First time owner of DJI products. I wish I would of read similar threads before ordering direct from DJI. I ordered 3 days after release and have customer Ref # 10321. I sent an email to DJI support and asked if my pre order number will ship on the first batch of shipments in Mid May (P3A with battery) and I was told it might NOT ship during the first round of shipments! Now i'm considering cancelling my order and going with Amazon or another vendor.
 
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